U.S. patent number 4,264,116 [Application Number 06/071,627] was granted by the patent office on 1981-04-28 for filter connector with adaptor for quick disconnection.
This patent grant is currently assigned to The Bendix Corporation. Invention is credited to Edward R. Gliha, Jr..
United States Patent |
4,264,116 |
Gliha, Jr. |
April 28, 1981 |
Filter connector with adaptor for quick disconnection
Abstract
A filter connector is disclosed with an adaptor member (14)
which permits removal and replacement of the filter connector
member (10) without individually disconnecting and reconnecting the
wires (16). The filter connector member (10) is provided with a
plurality of filter contacts (22) each having a mating end (pin 26)
at the forward end and a mating end (pin 28) at the rear end. A
filterless connector member (12) includes plural filterless
contacts each having a wire receiving end (74) and a mating end
(socket 72) adapted to mate with the pin (26) of the corresponding
filter contact (22). An adaptor member (14) includes a plurality of
filterless contacts (42) each having a wire receiving end (90) and
having a mating end (socket 88) adapted to mate with the pin (28).
The filterless contacts (42) in the adaptor (14) are individually
removable and replaceable in the event of a malfunction in these
contacts. The filter connector member is detachably mateable with
the filterless contact member (12) and with the adaptor member (14)
whereby it may be removed and replaced in the event of a
malfunction in a filter contact.
Inventors: |
Gliha, Jr.; Edward R.
(Bainbridge, NY) |
Assignee: |
The Bendix Corporation
(Southfield, MI)
|
Family
ID: |
22102536 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/071,627 |
Filed: |
August 31, 1979 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/321; 439/680;
439/607.08 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R
13/719 (20130101); H01R 13/7197 (20130101); H01R
13/625 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01R
13/719 (20060101); H01R 13/625 (20060101); H01R
013/64 () |
Field of
Search: |
;339/147,89,90,184M,186,25C |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: McQuade; John
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Ethington; Paul J. Lacina; C.
Dennis Eifler; Raymond J.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A filter connector comprising:
a first connector member comprising:
a cylindrical shell;
a plurality of filter contacts;
means in said cylindrical shell supporting said filter contacts,
each of said filter contacts having first and second mating ends
and
thread means on said cylindrical shell;
a second connector member including a plurality of filterless
contacts, each of said filterless contacts having a wire receiving
end and having a mating end adapted to mate with the first mating
end of a corresponding one of the filter contacts;
an adaptor member including a plurality of filterless contacts,
said adaptor member comprising an adaptor ring and a dielectric
insert in said adaptor ring for supporting said filterless
contacts, each of said filterless contacts having a wire receiving
end and having a mating end adapted to mate with the second mating
end of a corresponding one of said filter contacts, each of said
filterless contacts in said adaptor member being individually
removable and replaceable;
means for removably connecting said first connector member to the
second connector member with the filter contacts mated with the
filterless contacts;
a coupling nut rotatably mounted on said adaptor ring and adapted
to threadedly engage said first connector member whereby the
filterless contacts are mated with the corresponding filter
contacts;
means for orienting said adaptor member relative to said first
connector member, said means for orienting comprises key means
coacting between said adpator ring and said first contact member,
said keying means including a key mounted externally on said
coupling nut and a keyway in the external surface of said
cylindrical shell, said key being radially deflectable from said
keyway when the coupling nut is rotated to draw the mating contacts
on the first connector member and the adaptor member into mating
engagement whereby the first connector member may be removed and
replaced in the event any one of the filter contacts is
defective.
2. The invention as defined in claim 1 including locking means for
locking said coupling nut to said insert.
3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said locking means
comprises a recess in the external surface of said ring and a
spring-biased element on said coupling nut and adapted to be seated
in said recess.
4. In a filter connector member of the type including a connector
shell, a first plurality of filter contacts, means for supporting
the filter contacts in the shell and thread means on said shell,
each of said filter contacts having one end thereof adapted to mate
with a corresponding contact disposed in another mateable connector
member, the improvement comprising
each of said filter contacts has a second mating end;
an adaptor member including an adaptor ring, plural filterless
contacts, and a dielectric insert in said ring for supporting said
filterless contacts, each of said filterless contacts having a
mating end and a wire receiving end, each of said filterless
contacts being individually removable and replaceable;
means for orienting said adaptor member so that the mating end of
each filterless contact is aligned for mating engagement with the
second mating end of the corresponding filter contact; and
means for removably securing said adaptor member to said connector
member with the mating end of each filterless contact in mating
engagement with the second mating ends of the corresponding filter
contact, said means for removably securing is a coupling nut
mounted on said adaptor ring, said means for orienting comprises
key means coacting between said coupling nut and said connector
shell, said keying means including a spring finger mounted
externally on said coupling nut and a keyway in the external
surface of said shell, said spring finger being radially
deflectable from said keyway when the coupling nut is rotated to
draw the mating contacts on the connector member and the adaptor
member into mating engagement.
5. The invention as defined in claim 4 including locking means for
releasably locking said coupling nut to the adaptor ring.
6. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said locking means
comprises a recess in the external surface of said ring and a
spring biased element on said coupling nut and adapted to be seated
in said recess.
7. A repairable filter connector comprising:
a first connector member detachably interconnected with an adaptor
member, said first connector member being adapted to connect with a
second connector member;
said first connector member including:
a shell having an external keyway;
a dielectric insert mounted within said shell; and
a plurality of filter contacts non-removably mounted in said
insert, each of said filter contacts having first and second mating
ends;
said adaptor member including:
a dielectric insert;
a plurality of filterless contacts removably disposed in said
insert, each of said filterless contacts having a wire receiving
end and having a mating end adapted to mate with the second mating
end of a corresponding one of said filter contacts;
a rotatable coupling member disposed about the adaptor member for
removably connecting the adaptor member to the first connector
member with the filterless contacts mated with the corresponding
filter contacts, said coupling member including a key mounted
externally thereon;
said key coacting between the adaptor member and the first
connector member for orienting said adaptor member relative to said
first connector member, said key being radially deflectable from
said keyway when the coupling member is rotated to draw the mating
contacts on the first connector member and the adaptor member into
mating engagement, whereby the first connector member may be
removed and replaced in the event any one of the filter contacts is
defective.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to electrical connectors of the type
including a plug and a receptacle member each having multiple
electrical contacts; more particularly, it relates to filter
connectors in which one of the connector members is provided with
contacts each incorporating an electrical filter.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electrical filter connectors are well known and are used in
electronic systems susceptible to unwanted signals such as radio
frequency interference or other noise. Typically, filter connectors
comprise a pair of separable connector members having multiple
pairs of mating contacts. One of the connector members, a filter
connector member, is provided with filter contacts each of which
has a mating end and a wire receiving end. The filter contacts are
of fragile construction and are mounted within the connector shell
so as to be isolated from external forces that may be applied to
the ends of the contacts. Typically, the filter elements are
encapsulated so that they are not removable from the connector
shell. The other connector member, a filterless connector member,
is provided with contacts which have no filter element incorporated
therein, i.e. filterless contacts. Typically, the filterless
contacts are removably mounted within the connector shell. Such a
filter connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,386 to Krantz
et al. Other filter connectors of this general type are disclosed
in U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,285 to Schor, et al.; U.S. Pat. No.
3,569,915 to Sorensen et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,721,869 to
Paoli.
Since the filter connector member is provided with filter contacts
which are not removable from the connector shell, a malfunction in
one of the filter contacts requires removal and replacement of the
filter connector member. This entails connecting each contact of
the replacement connector member to each of the corresponding
wires. Further, if a malfunction occurs in the wire receiving end
of one or more contacts the entire filter connector member must be
removed and replaced. The filter connector member is costly and the
replacement operation which requires individual reconnection of
multiple contacts with corresponding wires is a time consuming
operation.
A general object of this invention is to obviate certain of the
disadvantages in prior art filter connectors.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with this invention, a filter connector is provided
in which the filter connector member may be removed and replaced
without individually disconnecting and reconnecting all of the
contacts and corresponding wires. This is provided by a filter
connector member in which each filter contact has mating ends on
both front and rear so that it can mate with a corresponding
contact in the filterless connector member and also with a
corresponding contact in an adaptor member.
Further, according to this invention, a filter connector is
provided in which a damaged or defective connection with a filter
contact may be repaired without replacement of the filter contact
itself. This is accomplished by the aforesaid filter connector
member in combination with an adaptor member having individually
removable and replaceable contacts each of which has a mating end
and wire receiving end.
The invention comprises a filter connector with a first or filter
connector member having a plurality of filter contacts each having
first and second mating ends. A second or filterless connector
member includes a plurality of filterless contacts each having a
wire receiving end and having a mating end adapted to mate with one
end of the corresponding filter contact. An adaptor member includes
a plurality of filterless contacts each having a wire receiving end
and having a mating end adapted to mate with the other end of the
corresponding filter contact. The filterless contacts in the
adaptor member are individually removable and replaceable. The
filter connector member is detachably mateable with the filterless
contact member and with the adaptor member whereby it may be
removed and replaced in the event of a malfunction in a filter
contact. Each filterless contact in the adaptor member and each
filterless contact in the filterless connector member is
individually removable and replaceable so that a defective
connection to a filter contact can be repaired individually without
replacing the filter connector member.
In a preferred embodiment, the adaptor member comprises an adaptor
ring and a dielectric insert member in the ring for removably
supporting the filterless contacts. A coupling nut is rotatably
mounted on the ring and is adapted to threadedly engage the filter
connector member with keying means coacting between the ring and
the filter connector member. The keying means comprises means for
orienting the dielectric insert member within said coupling nut and
means for orienting said coupling nut relative to said filter
connector member so as to align the corresponding contacts of the
adaptor member and the filter connector. The means for orienting
the insert member with the coupling nut includes a detent and the
means for aligning the coupling nut with the filter connector
member includes a spring finger on the coupling nut and a keyway on
the filter connector member whereby corresponding mateable contacts
may be aligned and pushed into partial mating engagement so that
rotation of the coupling nut will draw them into full mating
engagement.
A more complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from
the detailed description that follows taken with the accompanying
drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an assembly view with parts broken away, of the filter
connector of this invention,
FIG. 2 is a view taken on lines 2--2 of FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is a view taken on lines 3--3 of FIG. 1,
FIG. 4 shows the filter connector member and the adaptor member in
full mating engagement, partially in section, and
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view showing the filter connector member
and adaptor member in partial mating engagement.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Referring now to the drawings, there is shown an illustrative
embodiment of the invention in a filter connector of the plug and
receptacle type having multiple pairs of corresponding contacts. It
will be appreciated, as the description proceeds, that the
invention is useful in many different types of filter
connectors.
The filter connector is shown in its assembled relation in FIG. 1.
In general, it comprises a filter connector member 10, a filterless
connector member 12 and an adaptor member 14. The adaptor member 14
receives multiple conductors or wires 16 each of which is connected
through the filter connector member 10 to a corresponding one of
multiple conductors or wires 18 received by the filterless
connector 12. The filter connector member 10, as best shown in FIG.
1 and 4, comprises a cylindrical metal shell 20 which contains a
plurality of filter contacts 22, only one of which is shown in the
drawings. The filter connector member 10 is a receptacle type
member which mates with the filterless connector member 12 which is
a plug type member to provide electrical interconnection between
the corresponding mating contacts. Each of the filter contacts 22
has a front mating end which is a pin 26 adapted to mate with a
corresponding mating contact which is a socket 24 in the member 12.
Each of the filter contacts 22 also has a rear mating end which is
a pin 28. Each filter contact 22 also comprises a filter element 30
disposed intermediate the mating ends or pins 26 and 28 and which
is supported and encapsulated in a manner which will be described
subsequently.
The filter contacts 22 are mounted within the shell 20 as follows.
The forward end of each filter contact is supported in a front wall
or plate 32, suitably of epoxy resin, which encapsulates the front
end of the filter element 30. The rear end of each filter contact
is supported in a rear wall or plate 34, suitably of epoxy resin,
which encapsulates the rear end of the filter element 30. The pin
26 extends through the plate 32 and a dielectric insert member 36
of plastic and through an interfacial seal 38 of soft elastomeric
material. A gasket 40 is disposed around the seal 38. The pin 28
extends through the plate 34 and is adapted to be received in
mating relation with a mating contact which is a socket 42 in the
adaptor member 14, which will be described subsequently. The filter
element 30 of the contact 22 is provided with a grounding plate 44,
suitably a soldered metal foil, for connecting the external surface
of the filter element 30 to the shell 20. It is noted that the
plates 32 and 34 support each contact 22 and encapsulate the filter
element 30 and isolate it from forces applied to the ends of the
contact.
The filter connector member 10 is adapted to be separably connected
with the filterless member 12; for this purpose, the members are
provided with coacting screw thread means which, in the
illustrative embodiment, takes the form of a bayonet coupling. The
forward end of the shell 20 is provided with a set of bayonet pins
46 and the connector member 12 is provided with a coupling nut 48
having internal ramp grooves 50 which threadedly engage the pins
46. The filter connector member 10 is also adapted to be separably
connected with the adaptor member 14; for this purpose, the members
are provided with screw thread means which, in the illustrative
embodiment, take the form of a triple-start screw thread. The
filter connector member 10 has an external screw thread 56 on its
rear end. The adaptor member 14 includes a coupling nut 58 which
has an internal screw thread 60 which coacts with the thread 56. It
is noted that the shell 20 of the filter connector member 10 is
provided with a longitudinally extending groove or keyway 62 for
orienting purposes which will be described in greater detail
subsequently.
The filterless connector member 12 is of known construction. It
comprises a cylindrical metal shell 66 which contains multiple
socket type contacts 24. The socket contacts are removably
supported within the shell 66 in a dielectric insert member 68 and
a retention member 70. The retention member 70 is of a well known
type, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,082,398 to Bourdon, et
al., which facilitates insertion and removal of contacts for ease
of assembly and service. Each of the socket contacts 24 has a
mating end which is a socket 72 and a wire receiving end 74. The
wire receiving end is adapted to receive a conductor or wire 76
which is crimped in the wire receiving end 74. The dielectric
insert member 68 is non-rotatably mounted in the shell 66 by keying
means (not shown) which orients the member relative to the shell.
The shell 66 and the shell 20 of the filter connector member are
provided with coacting keying means (not shown) to orient the pins
26 relative to the sockets 74. When the filterless connector member
12 is properly oriented relative to the filter connector member 10,
rotation of the coupling nut 48 draws the members together so that
each pin 26 is fully mated with its corresponding socket 72.
The adaptor member 14 comprises, in general, the aforementioned
coupling nut 58 which supports an insert assembly 80 which in turn
contains multiple filterless contacts 42. Further, the coupling nut
58 is provided with aligning or keying means 84 and locking means
86 which will be described in detail subsequently.
The multiple filterless contacts 42 are supported in the insert
assembly 80. Each contact comprises a mating end which is a socket
88 and a wire receiving end 90. The socket 88 is adapted to receive
the pin 28 of the filter contact 22. The wire receiving end 90
receives a wire 92 which is crimped thereto. The insert assembly 80
includes an dielectric insert member 94, a contact retention member
96 and a grommet 98 all of which have aligned passages for
receiving each of the contacts 42. The mating end of the contact 42
is seated in the insert member 94 and is removably held in place by
the spring fingers of the retention member 96. The retention member
96 is of the same type as retention member 70, described above, to
facilitate insertion and removal of contacts.
For the purpose of supporting the insert assembly 80 in the
coupling nut 58, an adaptor ring 100 is rotatably mounted within
the coupling nut 58. The adaptor ring 100 is seated against an
internal annular flange 102 on the coupling nut 58 and is held in
place by a retainer ring 104 which has a press fit with the rear of
the coupling nut 58. It is noted that the adaptor ring 100 has a
clearance fit inside the coupling nut and is freely rotatable
therein. As shown in FIG. 3, the insert member 94 and the adaptor
ring 100 are provided with keying means to orient them relative to
each other. The keying means comprises a major keyway 106 and a
diametrically opposite minor keyway 108 on the internal surface of
the adaptor ring. The insert member 94 is provided with a major key
110 and a minor key 112 which are disposed in the respective
keyways 106 and 108. Thus, the adaptor ring 100 is keyed to the
insert member 94 and they are rotatably mounted inside the coupling
nut 58. The locking means 86 is provided in order to orient the
adaptor ring 100 and the insert member 94 relative to the coupling
nut 58. Locking means 86 comprises a first detent element in the
form of an axially extending slot 114 in the outer surface of the
adaptor ring 100 and also includes a second detent element in the
form of a steel ball 116 which is held captive in a cylindrical
passage 118 extending radially through the coupling nut 58. The
ball 116 is biased radially inwardly of the passage by the rear end
119 of a leaf spring 120 which extends axially of the coupling nut
58 and is secured thereto by a fastener 122. The leaf spring 120
resiliently urges the ball 116 radially inwardly and, with the
insert assembly 80 in a reference position relative to the coupling
nut 58, the ball 116 is seated in the groove 114. The spring 120
exerts sufficient force on the ball 116 that the insert assembly 80
and the coupling nut 58 are locked in this relative position;
however, the locking action may be overcome by manual rotation of
the coupling nut 58 relative to the insert assembly 80 which causes
camming action on the ball 116 which is displaced from the groove
114 and rides on the peripheral surface of the adaptor ring 100
during the relative rotation.
The aligning or keying means 84 for the coupling nut 58 includes
the groove 62 on shell 20 and a key in the form of a spring finger
comprising the front end of the leaf spring 120. The front end 121
of the leaf spring 120 includes a protuberance 124 which is adapted
to be seated in the groove 62. The angular location of the groove
62 on the shell 20 is correlated with the reference position of the
coupling nut 58 on the adaptor ring 100 so that alignment of the
leaf spring 120 with the groove 62 is effective to align the pin 28
of each filter contact 22 with the socket 88 of each filterless
contact 42. As shown in FIG. 5, the length of the leaf spring 120
is such that the protuberance 124 thereof will reach and be seated
in the end of the groove 62 before the pin 28 of each filter
contact 22 enters the socket 88 of each filterless contact 42.
Further, the thread 56 on the filter connector member 10 and the
coacting thread 60 on the coupling nut 58 are located so that the
threads are angularly positioned for starting engagement when the
coupling nut 58 is in its reference position relative to the
adaptor ring 100 with the leaf spring 120 aligned with the groove
62. The threads are axially positioned for starting engagement when
the coupling nut 58 is axially positioned so that the pin 28 of
each filter contact 22 is partially mated, i.e. slightly inserted
into, the socket 88 of the contact 42. In this condition, the
coupling nut 58 may be rotated relative to the adaptor ring 100,
and hence the insert assembly 80, which will be held fast by the
mating engagement of the pins 28 and sockets 88. This relative
rotation will cause the ball 116 to move radially outwardly of the
groove 114 against the rear end of the spring 120, as shown in FIG.
5. Similarly, the relative rotation will cause the forward end of
the spring 120 to be cammed outwardly of the groove 62, as shown in
FIG. 5. After one complete revolution of the coupling nut 58, the
ball 116 will reach the groove 114 and will be seated therein by
the bias force of the spring 120. At the same time the forward end
of the spring 120 will be seated in the groove 62 and the filter
contacts 22 and the filterless contacts 42 will be fully mated, as
shown in FIG. 4.
The filter connector of this invention allows the filter connector
member 10 to be quickly detached in the event of a malfunction of
one of the filter contacts. This is done by disconnecting the
filterless connector 12 by unscrewing the coupling nut 48 and
disconnecting the adaptor member 14 by unscrewing the coupling nut
58. The filter connector member 10 may be replaced as a unit by a
new filter connector member which is connected between the
filterless connector member 12 and the adaptor member 14 by
operation of the respective coupling nuts. In the event of
malfunction of one or more of the filterless contacts 42 in the
adaptor member 14, the malfunctioning contacts may be individually
removed and replaced. Similarly, if one or more of the filterless
contacts 24 in the connector member 12 malfunctions, it may be
individually removed and replaced.
Although the description of this invention has been given with
reference to a particular embodiment, it is not to be construed in
a limiting sense. Many variations and modifications of the
invention will now occur to those skilled in the art. For a
definition of the invention reference is made to the appended
claims.
* * * * *